Joining the new Monday night online f2f meeting on ivisit.com

How The Meeting Works:

The Ivisit meeting is presently scheduled for Mondays from 7-8:00pm Pacific Time.  Using ivisit.com’s video conferencing software up to 8 people can meet with full interactive audio and video connections. The Meeting is moderated.  People new to the meeting should arrive 20 minutes early so that any audio/video connection issues can be resolved ahead of time.

What You Will Need to Participate:

Video cam. It is possible to copy and paste a still picture of yourself into the video screen in the event you don’t have a video cam, but once you see how the video works I think you will want to have one. These are available from $5.00 to $150.00.  Most of the cheap ones work just fine. You can find them at any CompUSA, Best Buy, Radio Shack or many places online, such as ebay.

Microphone.  A microphone is a must.  The best way to go is a headset with a mike.  Again you can go cheap or you can spend an arm and a leg.  Cheap works fine. They are available at the same places as the video cams.  There are packages you can buy that will have both the video cam and the microphone.

Ivisit.com software.  You will need to download the free conferencing software program from ivisit.com for either PC or MAC from the following site:

   http://www.ivisit.com/download/index.html

How You Join the Meeting:

Ivisit.com is a stand-alone conferencing software program and system. As such, you can use it not only for the LifeRing meetings, but also to connect to anyone else who has the software.  Many families and friends use it instead of the phone when they are away from each other.  It offers a high quality audio/video connection between 2 or more people anywhere in the world where an Internet connection is available.  There are 2 ways to access the ivisit system, one of which is free, and works just fine:

Register for a free ivisit account and join the LifeRing Meeting:  This way of connecting gives you open access to the ivisit system including live support and can easily connect to family and friends who also have registered accounts. There are some limitations to the free account but these are minimal. Registering is easy.  Download the program as described previously.  When you start the program, select the ‘Account’ button and then  ‘Register’.  This will take you to the ivisit website with directions on how to complete the free registration. After you are registered see below for how to connect to the LifeRing meeting. 

Register for a paid ivisit account and join the LifeRing Meeting: This is actually done the same as above except that there will be further directions on how to open a paid subscription.  The advantages of this account ($39.95/yr.)are higher resolution video and you get your own 8-person audio/video chat room and 100-person text chat room which you can manage as you please (WOO-HOO!!!).  Again see below for how to connect to the LifeRing meeting.

Connecting to the LifeRing meeting with a free or paid subscription account:  After subscribing, open the program.  You will need to input a link in the ‘Address Book’ window to access the meeting.  Select the ‘Places’ button.  Enter the following in the text entry space at the bottom of the Address Window: home.lifering.1906 and press your enter key.  This will place the meeting address in your program address book. To enter the meeting, select this address with your mouse and then select “AV Meeting” and “Join this room”. That’s it! 

If you have any questions, send an email to avmeeting@comcast.net

I have also assembled a PDF file instruction manual for installing and accessing the LifeRing meeting complete with pictures and other misc. info which I will be happy to send you upon request.

Hope to see you at the meeting!

Scott M.

Introduction to Audio/Video Chat

People communicate in the old-style chat room exclusively by typing.  This is called text chat.  Little extras such as icons and emoticons can spice it up, but the information flow basically runs through your fingers on the keyboard. The 123 Flash Chat room on unhooked.com is an example of a text chat. 

In the newer chat rooms that are now coming online there is still the text channel. You can still type into the text chat window, just as if you were in one of the old chat rooms.  But now there is also an additional audio channel and an additional video channel. In addition to text, you can use audio or video, or both together; and you can receive only, or send only, or both, depending on your setup and preferences.  If you have both audio and video equipment, you can hear and speak to other people in the room, and you can see their faces and show yours.  It's the closest thing online to being in a face-to-face meeting. 

What equipment do you need? 

Video:  To see people in the chat room who are sending video, you don't need any extra equipment at all.  Your computer will receive the video image.  It's only about the size of a postage stamp, but that's enough. To broadcast your own video to others, you need a webcam.  These are little gadgets that you put on top of your monitor and plug into your computer's USB port.  A webcam adequate for this purpose, such as the one pictured at the right, can be bought for as little as twelve dollars.  Click on the image for details. 

Audio:  To hear other people talking, your computer needs to have a sound card and speakers or a headphone jack.  Practically all computers sold within the past few years include a sound card as standard equipment.  To be heard by other people, you also need a microphone.  Many newer computers have a microphone built in.  If you want to both hear and speak, the best solution is a headset that plugs into your computer and contains an earphone plus a microphone. (If you use a microphone with your computer speakers instead of a headset, you may cause an annoying echo in the sound.) Perfectly adequate headsets sell for less than five dollars.  Click on the picture: this one is advertised online at $3.45.  You can get both a webcam and a headset at any Radio Shack or computer store, but expect to pay slightly more than these bargain-basement online prices. 

The audio/video channels  open up a new dimension on the online meeting experience.  Hearing somebody's voice and seeing somebody's face brings them that much closer and communicates so much more than text alone. A real smile is better than a smiley.  A real face expresses much more than an icon.  Your voice can say so much more with its tone and inflection than you could ever express with your fingers on the keyboard.  Once you try the audio/video chats, you may find yourself powerfully attracted by the possibilities, and you'll find yourself making new friends and feeling supported and connected in your recovery as never before.

-- Marty N.